Six experts from various automotive fields to serve as speakers
Discussion of the future of automobiles focusing on technology, art, and culture

The '2017 Seoul Motor Show' International Conference, themed 'Innovation and Passion Opening the Future of Automobiles,' was held on the afternoon of the 4th at KINTEX in Gyeonggi Province with the attendance of approximately 1,400 people, including industry, academia, research officials, and students.

This international conference was planned as a storytelling-style lecture featuring domestic and international automotive experts to build the identity of the Seoul Motor Show.

Six domestic and international automotive industry experts served as presenters at the event, including Sven A. Beiker, professor at Stanford University Graduate School of Business and former director of the Stanford Automotive Research Center; Chan D. Lieu, former director of policy and strategic planning at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and senior advisor at Venable LLP; Giorgio Gamberini, Chief Operating Officer of the automotive design firm Zagato Milano and chairman of the Design and Engineering Group of the Italian Automobile Industry Association; Dennis Hong, professor of mechanical engineering at UCLA; Lee Dae-hyung, art director at Hyundai Motor Company; and broadcaster Alberto Mondi.

Keynote speaker Professor Sven Baker explained the specific drivers, timing, and methods of future automotive development trends, namely autonomous driving, connectivity, electrification, and sharing. Autonomous driving, which is gradually expanding its scope, is expected to begin with introduction in the transportation sector, such as trucks, in 2025, and full autonomous driving will be available in personal vehicles after 2030.


In addition, it was argued that while hybrid and electric vehicles currently form a small market, plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles will expand their reach in earnest starting from 2020, and from 2030 onwards, hybrid, electric, and hydrogen vehicles will overtake internal combustion engine vehicles to become the mainstream of the market.

Chen Liu, Senior Advisor at Venable LLP, spoke on the topics of automotive safety, sustainability, and convenience, stating, “In 2015, the number of traffic accident fatalities in the United States reached 35,092, and 94% of traffic accidents are caused by driver error.” As an alternative, he introduced that “major automakers will develop highly autonomous vehicles by 2022, and related policies will also be established.”

Regarding sustainability, it was projected that “due to high fuel taxes in Europe and air pollution issues in China, electric vehicles will achieve price competitiveness comparable to internal combustion engine vehicles in Europe in 2021 and in China in 2025, and electric vehicles will account for 35% of global new car sales by 2040.” Furthermore, predicting that “by around 2027, the operating costs of autonomous vehicle sharing services will become cheaper than those of privately owned sedans,” he emphasized that “these autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, and car-sharing services will establish a virtuous cycle, and the paradigm of transportation will change in the future.”

Chairman Giorgio Gamberini stated, “Design is art’s answer to human desires,” and explained the process from design concept to production of automobiles through examples of recent projects, such as the MINI SUPERLEGGERA VISION and PININFARNIA H600. He also described the unique function of the Italian design industry known as “transforming concepts into cars.”

Art Director Lee Dae-hyung, under the theme "Why Art Matters in the 21st Century," drew on his experience as a former art curator and in charge of cultural marketing at Hyundai Motor Company to explain the relationship between technological innovation and art, as well as the contemporary value and role of art.

In addition, Professor Dennis Hong gave a lecture on future mobility with warm technology for humans under the theme of 'Mobility for Humanity,' using examples of the development of 'vehicles for the visually impaired' and 'autonomous robots' at the UCLA RoMeLa Lab.

Broadcaster Alberto Mondi explained the differences and similarities between European and domestic car cultures based on his driving experiences in Europe, including Italy, Germany, Spain, France, and Croatia, as well as in Korea, and also introduced the image Europeans have of Korean cars.